Apparatus for holding collapsible tubes on supporting spindles



April 14, 1953 F. REMINGTON ETAL 2,634,868

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLES 2SHEETSSHEET l Filed March 8, 1949 2 l XLEV C 2/ 20 /6 7 474 l zz%r:

April 3 F. REMINGTON ETAL 2,634,868

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLES FiledMarch 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 O .75 1 4 1 l4 g m g Patented Apr. 14,1953 APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLESFrederic Remington, Elizabeth, and Richard A.

Tartaglia, East Orange, N. J assignors to Peerless Tube Company,Bloomfield, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application March 8, 1949,Serial No. 80,163

6 Claims.

This invention relates in general to machines for handling collapsibletubes during the manufacture thereof, and in particular the inventioncontemplates novel and improved apparatus for holding collapsible tubeson the spindles upon which they are supported during operations upon thetube, for example trimming and threading of the tube. According to thecommon general practice of holding collapsible tubes on spindles ormandrels, the tube-supporting mandrel or spindle generally comprises amain portion over which the body of the partially completed tube isnicely fitted, and a reduced end portion of a diameter slightly lessthan that of the internal diameter of the neck of the tube and havingone or more segments of helical ribs of long pitch which upon relativerotation of the tube and spindle in one direction are in efiect screwedinto the neck of the tube for holding the tube against rotationrelatively to the spindle. Obviously the direction of rotation of thespindle during operations upon the tube is such that resistance torotation of the tube caused. by the tools incident to said operationswill tend to tighten the tube on the spindle; and special means isrequired to reverse the direction of rotation of the spindle and to holdthe tube against rotation in such a manner as to unscrew or release theconnection of the tube from the helical ribs on the spindle. Moreover,said heli-. cal ribs roughen the interior surfaces of the neck of thetube so that small particles of the displaced metal or burrs caused bythe helical ribs may later contaminate the contents of the tube.

In some cases the displaced metal comprises long slim slivers, forexample one-quarter of an inch in length. Serious injuries to the skinand mouth have been caused by such slivers of metal in tooth paste andsimilar substances.

Furthermore, it is dimcult if not impossible to thoroughly apply theusual inside coating to the rough or burred surfaces, the coatingmaterial having a tendency to flow away from the sharp edges of theburrs so as to leave the latter uncoated. As is known by those skilledin the art, such inside coatings are used to prevent chemical actionbetween the contents of, the tube and the material of which the tube isformed, so that such failure to coat the rough or burred surfaces of thetube is serious.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved method of and apparatus for holding a collapsible tube againstmovement relatively to a supporting spindle on which the tube is mountedduring operations upon the tube so as to obviate the screwing of thetube on or other interlocking of the tube with the mandrel and therebyprevent roughening or grooving of the interior surface of the tube.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus whereby acollapsible tube can be held against both relative rotation andlongitudinal movement on a supporting spindle by means disposed whollyexteriorly of the tube and which shall not bite into, groove orotherwise injure or deform the walls of the tube.

A further object is to provide a method and apparatus of this characterwhich will also permit easy and quick removal, manually or otherwise, ofthe tube from the mandrel after the operation upon the tube has beencompleted.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be broughtout by the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of ap-' paratus embodying theinvention for holding collapsible tubes on supporting mandrels orspindles, illustrating the apparatus in conjunction with a generallyknown type of tube trimming and threading machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on theplane of the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar view approximately on the plane of the line 3--3of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view approximately on theplane of the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a similar view approximately on the plane of the line 55 ofFigure 1;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view approximately on theplane of the line 66 of Figure l; and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary composite longitudinal sectional andside elevational view of the tube-supporting mandrel and a collapsibletube thereon.

The invention may be embodied in many dif-' ferent types of tube workingmachines, but for the purpose of illustrating the principles of theinvention, the invention has been shown in conjunction with a generallyknown type of machine for trimming and threading collapsible tubes.

As shown, the machine comprises a base or frame I upon which isjou-rnaled a horizontal shaft 2, at one end of which is a mandrel orspindle 3 for supporting a collapsible tube A to be threaded.

This collapsible tube is shown as formed of ductile metal and comprisinga hollow cylindrical body portion 5 and a neck 5 at one end thereof, theinner end of said neck being slightly tapered outwardly from the body ofthe tube as indicated at 1, while the outer end is intended to bethreaded to receive a closure. During operation of the machine, theshaft 2 and mandrel 3 are rotated by any suitable means such as abelt-and-pulley connection 9 with a suitable source of power. Inaccordance with the invention, the collapsible tube is heldagainstmovement relatively to the mandrel by applying to the tube a forcetending to rotate the tube at the same speed and in the same directionas the rotation of the mandrel.

This apparatus is here shown as comprising a friction wheel if! having asuitable friction surface II, such as leather on its' periphery tofrictionally engage the exterior surface of the collapsible tube 4 whenthe latter is on the spindle. The friction wheel i is journaled on asuitable shaft l2 which is supported by an arm 13 that is carried by andprojects laterally from a shaft M which is journaled in a tubular shaft15 which is in turn journaled in bearings 16 on the frame I of themachine.

The friction wheel H) is rotated at the same peripheral speed and in theopposite direction from the collapsible tube A on the spindle, and asshown the friction wheel is rigidly connected to a sprocket I! which isconnected by a chain [8 to a sprocket 19 on the tubular shaft I; andsaid tubular shaft has a belt-and-pulley connection 28 with the mainshaft 2.

In accordance with the invention, the shaft 2 and spindles or mandrel 3are continuously driven during the operation of the machine and acollapsible tube is slipped on the spindle, manually or otherwise, thefriction wheel H3 being spaced from the spindle and said tube. Then thefriction wheel I0 is moved upwardly into frictional contact with theperiphery of the tube A and maintained in such contact during theoperations upon the tube. As shown, the shaft I4 has a lever arm 2|connected thereto and carrying a follower roller 22 which is normallypressed into contact with a cam 23 by a spring 24; and said cam is soshaped as to oscillate the lever 2'! and move the friction wheel intoand out of contact with the collapsible tube on the mandrel in propertimed relation to the application and removal of the tube to and fromthe mandrel, respectively. With this construction, it will be understoodthat after the tube has been applied to the mandrel, the cam 23 willactuate the friction wheel I0 into contact with the tube and thisfrictional contact in conjunction with the rotation of the frictionwheel at the same peripheral speed and in the opposite direction fromthe tube, will firmly hold the tube against rotation and longitudinalmovement relatively to the spindle. After the operations have beencompleted on the tube, the cam 23 will move the friction wheel out ofcontact with the tube and the tube will be removed from the spindlemanually or otherwise.

Any suitable means may be utilized for actuating the cam 23, but forsimplicity we have shown a chain and sprocket connection 25 between themain drive shaft 2 and a counter shaft 2G journaled in bearings 21 onthe frame and on which the cam is mounted.

Of course, there will be a suitable control mechanism actuable by theoperator for controlling the application of power to the main shaft 2'for starting and stopping the apparatus. As hereinbefore indicated, thetube holding apparatus may be used in conjunction with many types oftube working machines, but for purposes of illustration, we have shownsaid apparatus associated with a tube-trimming and threading machinewhich includes a tool 28 that is normally disposed in an out-of-the-wayrelation to the mandrel 3 so that a collapsible tube may be manuallyslipped endwise onto the mandrel, and after the tube has been mounted onthe mandrel, said tool is moved into alinement with the neck of thetube, then advanced into proper contact with said neck to perform thedesired operation, for example trimming the neck. The tool is mounted ona stem or rod 29 which is slidably mounted on a bearing block 30 that iscarried by a bracket which is in turn mounted on an actuating block 32that is slidably mounted as by a dovetail connection 33 upon the top ofthe base I of the machine so as to move toward and from the mandrel 3.The shaft 29 is slidable by a lever 34 pivotally mounted on. the block32 and. actuated by a cam 35 on a cam shaft 36 journaled in bearings onthe base I. The block 32 is actuated in one direction by a cam 31 and inthe other direction by a spring-38. Another tool, as shown a threadingtool, 39 is mounted on another actuating block 40 like the block 32,which is actuated in opposite directions by a cam 41 and a spring 42respectively.

The cam shaft may be driven in any suitable manner, for example from aseparate source of power, but is shown as driven from the counter shaft26 through a clutch 43 which is manually controllable through a handlever 44'. The clutch should be closed after the tube has been appliedto the spindle and engaged by the friction wheel.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the cams 35, 31 and4| and the speed of rotation of the cam shaft 36, will be such as tokeep the tools 28 and 39 in proper timed relation to each other, and ifdesired means may be provided for automatically stopping the cam shaftafter one revolution thereof with the tools 28 and 39 in their withdrawnposition to permit removal of one tube from the spindle and theapplication of another tube thereto. The tube working machine per se isunimportant to the present invention which resides in the apparatus forholding the tube on the spindle against rotation and longitudinalmovement relatively thereto.

While a now preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described, it should be understood that this is primarily for thepurpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and that thedetails of construction of the apparatus may be modified and changed andthe apparatus may me embodied in many different machines, all within thespirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relativelyrotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means forrotating said spindle about its axis to frictionally rotate said tubetherewith, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle againstmovement relatively t said spindle, said mechanism including, arevoluble friction element, and means independent of said tube forpositively revolving said friction element. at the same peripheral speedas said tube but in the opposite direction, and means independent ofsaidtube for moving sa1d friction element into and out of frictional contact with the exterior surface of said tube.

The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for slidablyreceiving and supporting a tube thereon, means for rotating said spindleabout its axis, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle againstmovement relatively to said spindle, said mechanism including a frictionroller, a lever arm on which said friction roller is mounted, means foroscillating said lever arm to move said friction roller alternately intoand out of contact with the exterior surface of said tube, and means forrevolving said friction roller at the same peripheral speed as said tubebut in the opposite direction.

3. The combination of a main drive shaft having a cylindrical spindle atone end thereof to slidably receive and support a tube, means forrotating said shaft, for holding a tube on said spindle against movementrelatively to the spindle, said mechanism including a tubular shaft, adriving connection between said tubular shaft and said main drive shaft,a secondary shaft journaled in and projecting at one end from saidtubular shaft, an arm on said end of said secondary shaft, a frictionroller journaled on said arm so that said roller will be moved into andout of contact with the exterior surface of a tube on said spindle uponoscillation of said secondary shaft, means for oscillating saidsecondary shaft, and a driving connection between said tubular shaft andsaid friction roller to rotate the latter at the same peripheral speedas said tube but in the opposite direction.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said means foroscillating said secondary shaft comprises a lever arm on said shaft anda rotatable cam for swinging said lever arm.

5. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relativelyrotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means forrotating said spindle about its axis, and mechanism for holding a tubeon said spindle against movement relatively to said spindle, saidmechanism including an element engageable with the periphery of saidtube, and means independent of said tube for actuating said element torotate the tube at the same speed and in the same direction as saidspindle.

6. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relativelyrotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means forrotating said spindle about its axis, and mechanism for holding a tubeon said spindle against movement relatively to said spindle, saidmechanism including an element having a friction surface to frictionallyengage the peripheral surface of said tube, and means independent ofsaid tube positively actuating said element to move said frictionsurface at the same speed as the said peripheral surface and in the samedirection at the point of engagement of said friction surface and saidperipheral surface.

FREDERIC REMINGTON. RICHARD A. TARTAGLIA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 816,694 Watzke Apr. 3, 1906 1,076,985 Knupfer Oct. 28, 19132,554,405 Grosshans May 22, 1951

